October 31, 2023
Communications Solutions Applications Support Update
Many employees in Extension are still using software programs, such as Microsoft Publisher, for newsletters and other communications pieces. However, some software solutions, such as Publisher, are no longer used or supported by Communications Solutions.
The unit’s primary platform for creating communication and marketing templates is now in Canva, which any employee can use.
At times, the difference becomes an issue in terms of product and technical support. Communication Solutions recommends that when this happens the local unit, district or specialist migrates the team’s content from the existing platforms over to the templates in Canva.
If the choice is to remain on the existing platform, there are a number of resources that can be accessed online. These include the software company’s resource guides and chat groups, YouTube tutorials and how to videos, to name a few. You can also engage with your IT support teams, but their help may be limited, and often their recommended call to action is what has been suggested above.
Technology education, migrations and changes can be frustrating and time consuming. However, once implemented, most users find the new tools helpful and more efficient.
If you have any questions regarding accessing and using Canva, please do not hesitate to reach out to Meg Stopps or Kirsten Conard. They are happy to help you with migrating from existing programs.
Also, in terms of social media, we cannot provide technical support for these applications either – such as Facebook, X or Instagram. Where we can help is your communication strategies and messaging to reach your audiences. However, similar to Publisher, there are many articles, how to guides and videos that can help your navigation and platform management.